Those who pay more
deserve more deductions
To the Editor:
Responding to the Jan. 20 letter, “What’s a flat tax with deductions?”:

First of all, the writer states that most taxes allow higher-income earners to take greater federal tax deductions than are available to the less wealthy. Does the writer get that when you pay a lot more in taxes, you deserve larger deductions? In addition, without these, more tax dollars all of the schools would be in jeopardy.

Regarding Ann Marie Buerkle’s support for a flat tax so that everyone would pay the same rate, I am sure that she hasn’t concluded that it’s perfect, but it could given the right structure, like a step-up structure.

Last, I think the writer needs to separate business tax from personal tax. An individual running a business still pays personal tax along with corporate tax.

Gene Adragna
Liverpool

Duh! Focus on how and
where cigarettes sold
To the Editor:
This letter is in regard to the Jan. 11 article, “New reason to quit smoking.” How many more reasons do we need to tell people to quit smoking or that tobacco products are dangerous until we remove these deadly products from store shelves?

While I am not a smoker, I have been around smokers all my life. I have family and friends who smoke, and I know what these products do to people. Some will say that it is a legal product and we should leave it alone, but when it is the only product sold that when used per the manufacturers’ directions causes cancer and possible death, then something must be done!

You can continue to provide cessation programs and graphic ads, which will help, but if we don’t focus on where and how these products are being advertised and sold, we will not get anywhere with lowering smoking rates and getting these products out of the hands of youth.

It’s kind of like what Deb Austin was quoted as saying in the article: “It’s like, duh?!”

Adam Mendzef
Auburn

Raise taxes to improve
infrastructure in US

To the Editor:
The United States, and especially the conservatives, have rejection of modernity in common with the Taliban.

Sixty years ago, the United States was the leader in modern technology. Now some state governors have refused federal funds for high-speed rail transportation while still concentrating on highways for cars, The conservatives are fighting the meager modernization of the health care system.

The health care system, people-moving, electricity distribution and digital communication infrastructure in the United States are lagging behind Europe and Asia.

Both Europe and Asia have had high-speed trains for many decades now. There still are none in the United States. The United States has an ancient electrical distribution network on wooden poles that lean every which way. The digital network in the United States lags behind its European and Asian counterparts. The United States is still relying on cars and airplanes as its sole people- moving systems. Many European cities have long since reduced their dependence on cars for major people-moving. People relying on cars for commuting wastes time. High-speed trains are much faster than cars and are free from traffic congestion. One has to concentrate on driving in a car and can thus not do other useful work. For short and medium distances, high-speed trains are best; for long distances, airplanes are better.

The United States needs to raise taxes to build a modern infrastructure.